


Lost fox

by missmills



Series: Elise Hall series [1]
Category: The Gentlemen (2019)
Genre: Blood and Injury, F/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Past Rape/Non-con, Recreational Drug Use, Somewhat strong female lead? IDK, Swearing, using kitchenware as weapon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:28:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23687686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missmills/pseuds/missmills
Summary: “Do I want to know what’s that?”“ That, Elise,” Raymond placed the container on the counter, leaning against it to face me “Are the finest brownies you will ever have in your life.”I slowly raised my eyes to him and I knew he waited for me to ask because his answer was too quick.“ Is there a pot inside?”" Absolutely."Enter: Elise Hall, trouble on two legs who hid in the wrong shipping container running away from the mess she made. Not knowing what to do with the young woman, Mickey decides to leave her with Raymond over the weekend, who takes the task of judging her character quite seriously. Death always brings trouble, unless planned well; and you can't plan out a murder of a stranger and expect no trouble.
Relationships: Raymond Smith/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Elise Hall series [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1975054
Comments: 8
Kudos: 86





	Lost fox

**Author's Note:**

> It's the first fic I wrote in past five years okay, so please be kind because I'm not used to having character restrictions. Might be a little OC but I did my best. Also, I wasted little time with some unimportant stuff (like bathroom descriptions and stuff like that) and I'm afraid a few things might be left unexplained too, IDK. Tried to keep it real, especially with the OC. 
> 
> As for canon diversions: I added a lock on the shipping container and perhaps made a few characters a little too soft.
> 
> Warning: English is basically my second language.

It was dark - that’s for sure.   
And cold.   
I could hear some animal sniffing around and a fox calls somewhere in distance too - but that’s not what woke me up. What woke me up was a car, perhaps two, coming, which was bad news for me and the fox too, probably.  
But. If I were to calm down…   
Who would want anything in a shed? In the middle of the night no less? This was a forsaken place - dusty and old.   
It’s probably just some cheap lovers looking for a far-away parking spot.   
I did take the high heels off through, for just in case - not that there was anywhere much to run but were they come in… I mean, better to be prepared for anything, right.  
Car lights, breaks, doors…   
“ What the fuck.”   
Oh shit  
“ Who kept the doors open?”   
Then the car engine died and I heard someone coming over my quickening heartbeat in my ears. That was a Chelsea shoe walk. That was definitely a Chelsea shoe walk.   
Don’t move, don’t breath.   
He could probably catch up with me in that kind of shoes. Sure he had long legs too….  
Oh fuck did he have long legs. Luckily though, coming in, he did not notice me at all. Leaning against the table, as if in annoyment, he moved it away, along with a strip of the floor.   
And the light from bellow shone on his Chelsea shoes.   
Right. Okay. Run - I slid up the wall behind me slowly in case someone else would come, left the high heels, looking down the stairs… and out I was.  
And out of the doors, around the car and…  
“ Hey… HEY!”   
Fuck.  
Bugger shit.  
“ Raymond?” a faint call came from inside the shipping container.   
“ Got you.”   
I hit something, electric shock waving through nearly instantly. Fucking fence. I got tangled, first screaming from another shock, then yelling against the hand wrapped tightly around my jaw.   
Whoever Raymond was, he pulled me away from the fence before a fourth shock came through, letting go when seeing I’m struggled against to breathe against his hand.   
“ Who’s that?” The Chelsea shoes guy now standing at the doors asked “Oh.” He added, looking somewhere inside and disappearing for a moment before coming back with my heels. “Lost something there love.” He said, his voice dead cold.   
All right don’t panic, stay calm… and civilised.  
They were surely gentlemen - At least the other guy, not Raymond, I didn’t get a look of Raymond but this one looked like a gentleman, even if cold and obviously…   
Stop lying to yourself, idiot.   
There’s some bad shit going on down there.   
“ Yes thank you.” I reached after the shoes, but he withdrew quickly.   
The silence stretched for a second.  
Or two  
Or five.   
Civilised. Calm and civilised.   
“ See you’re going to have to buy them back.” He said.   
From puddle right under the eaves.   
“ This one for your name and the other for how did you break in and why.”  
“ That’s two shoes.” I pointed out, cursing myself.   
“ Nice, so you can count.” He raised his eyebrows  
“ But three questions.” I am the worst piece of an idiot to ever live.   
Silence stretched. Again.   
Then he exchanged a look with Raymond behind me, throwing the shoes over the wooden fence behind him and tilting his head.   
“ You obviously don’t understand your position.” He stepped a little closer “So?”   
“ I don’t….”  
_Oh fuck fuck fuck shit no he’s too close._  
“ Elise, lock pick needles, I was cold.” I raised my arms up immediately, glancing behind so I don’t come crushing into Raymond, because oh dear, would that not be of any help.   
“ What aren’t you telling.” He asked, stopping.   
“ What am I not telling?” I frowned.   
“ We could start with a surname.” He looked me up and down, probably noting the nice and decent, but dirty, clothes - and shakes. Oh, boy, was I shaking.  
“ Hall. Elise Hall.” He caught my hand when I was about to put them down.  
“ Where did you get that?” he asked  
“ I was born with it?” The fuck? He slapped my head with my own hand, turning it so I could see my forearm “Oh.” the bruise. I forgot about it - it broke, I noticed, colouring a good piece of my flash red and purple “That’s just my ex.”  
Right, well that’s and information I didn’t have to give.   
“ So, can I… well I can go then?”  
He didn’t answer, only gestured something to Raymond who, as I shortly found out, exactly understand what to do - that was searching my jacket pockets and pulling out the few things she had on her; a lipstick, three lock needles That tiny wallet of mine, old flash drive and a nice lighter.   
“ Get her in a car, I’ll decide what to do with her in a minute.” He finally stepped away, heading for the doors.   
“ Sorry, my shoes…” He gave me an amused glance and I heard Raymond behind me backing away, so I turned.  
He looked like a gentleman too, I thought instantly, but I was sure he wasn’t any kinder. Despite my quickly shifting prejudice he wasn’t rude or rough, through, opening the doors for me to get on the back seat, clicking something on the inside and walking around to do the same on the other ones across, getting there surprisingly quickly. Then the driver’s doors opened and the other guy got in, glancing back on me and handing Raymond, who just closed the doors on his side, some folder.   
“ Elise, was it?” He asked, starting the engine “Where is your phone?”   
“ Stolen,” I answered.   
The car was nice. Maybe too nice, but at least warm.   
Quiet without the radio.   
“ How come.” He turned back to look where he’s going and I tilted my head away from the view.   
This was bad. Really fucking bad.  
“ You see, there’s a lot that does not check out.” He said, paying attention to the road “And you better start making sense.”   
I tried t count my options here; lying was the worse one, I realised, but telling the truth was also out of the question.   
“ It’s silly really.” I said quickly “I mean, simple, but silly. I’m just a silly fucker of no convenience I’m sure, and it’s all quite stupid too.”   
“ Humour us.” He finally gave me a glance before turning around, driving on. Slowly, carefully, I tried the doors - they did not open.   
“ Had my phone taken, broke up with ex and took a wrong turn in the dark going home. Found a shed, decided to stay till sunrise and find my way then.”  
They exchanged a look  
“ Explain the lock picking,” Raymond asked.  
“ They do come in handy.” I shrugged. Surely, they understand. “Sorry, can I… can I have them back?”   
“ Make a wild guess,” Raymond answered, the other guy smirking shortly   
“ We’re not taxi drivers love.” He said   
“ Yeah no, I know.” I took a deep breath. “You’re a bush owner. That’s your right hand, and I’m totally screwed, I do realise that. But I honestly had no idea and I don’t mean to tangle myself up in another crazy shit right now.”   
Obviously, I’m also mad crazy.   
“ Bush owner you say?” He asked, glancing back at me shortly.  
Was being clever really a good idea?   
“ Well I… I…” Raymond turned around, looking at me, which did not help one bit “I do assume cooking would take better ventilation. Isn’t that better hidden in actual kitchens? And…” They kept quiet, obviously waiting for all of my stupid conclusions. “Well you, I mean, you’re dressed in fine wool. Both. It won’t make your eyes any less rough through.”  
Raymond raised his eyebrows, amused and surprised.   
“ What do you do Elise?” he asked quickly.   
“ Oh.” She swallowed. It felt like my brain was switching between low and high gear and none was doing me any favour. “I sell tea.”  
“ Sorry?” he raised his eyebrows  
“ Waltor.” I said “Sales manager.”   
“ Wasn’t Henry in Waltor?” The other guy asked but Raymond only gave him a quick look when turning back.   
For a moment nobody said anything this thought that I’m probably dead began creeping on me. It does make sense, right. Maybe I should have had kept my mouth shut.   
Then they began talking between each other quietly - too quietly for me to hear, except for a word here and there that made no sense together ("Double", "secretary" and a "Foster"). I pulled my arms in from the useless sleeves of my jacket, rubbing my shoulders.   
Finally, the car stopped and both of them turned in their seat to look at me again.   
“ So this is how it works.” The Chelsea shoes guy said “We’re keeping you for the weekend and luckily for you, Raymond over here had nothing planned so he will look after you. Some things are better not rushed and the decision on what to do with you sure does belong between them.”   
“ I’m sorry I really don’t mean to… Sorry, no, tangle … I’m not looking for any trouble and I sure won’t look for any by…”  
“ You’re the first woman I met who’s carrying a lock pick tools.” Raymond said, “Stop being disrespectful.”   
I opened my mouth to disagree, to protest, but that would just look even worse, so I shut it again.   
Maybe I could try running tomorrow. Keeping it civilised might have had help.   
Raymond reached to turn the interior lights off, got out, opening the car doors for me from the outside and I turned to climb out when the other guy spoke again  
“ Run and we will find you.” He said. The fact I could not see his expression, just the outline of his profile in the subtle light from outside, made the message sink in even deeper.   
I looked back at the car leaving when Raymond wrapped his hand over my shoulders. This was a nice street, with big expensive houses, after all, I realised when looking around.   
“ Come on.” He said, leading me toward the gate.   
“ Yeah … Any… Any house rules?” I looked up to him. I could tell my questions surprised him. He looked behind, letting go of my shoulders as we passed the gate and strode toward the house and past an expensive-looking car.   
“ First of all, don’t fuckin run but that’s hopefully obvious. Shoes off, but given you’ve got none.” He answered, “no running around, always knock, wherever you go.”   
“ Right.” I gave him a nod.  
Maybe, I thought, it’s really better if I don’t try to run after all. 

I was pretty sure that was a swimsuit bottom he gave me, but since it was the only piece in his closet that had a string I complained little about it, even if combined with the shirt it was a weirdly baggy assemble.   
“ Tea.” He pointed at the big tray, not bothering to look up from whatever he was reading the moment I found my way into the kitchen in the morning.   
Right, I thought, taking it to the table.  
“ Sit.” He pointed at the chair next to his left over the corner and finally looked up when I set it near him, drawing away. “That’s yours.”   
“ Oh.” Fuck “Okay. Thanks.”   
I sat down quickly, pulling it towards me.  
There was an assortment of tea tins, none of them labelled but all of them same and I was so glad he didn’t give me a look when I began opening them to decide by smell.   
There was Chai and I thought about having it, spreading a spoonful on a napkin.   
It turned out nice. Not too dark and the moment I took the first sip I realised it’s too good, getting up to sit by the window. Luckily he didn’t protest.   
Without not really wanting to the thought on whether these are my last days came back and I found myself looking for reasons to give so they don’t kill me off on Sunday.   
The other guy said that if I run they will find me and I really did not think it would be a great idea to try my luck there.   
My train of thought was interrupted by Raymond coming to pick up my empty cup.   
“ Eat something.” He said as he was about to head back to the kitchen with my cup, stopping and staring somewhere to my neck.  
“ What?” I asked, standing to return to the table  
“ You’ve got something on your back.” He said and I quickly reached after the shirt to stretch it a little, looking over my shoulder - but he already headed back to me, standing his place and my cup on the table.   
He grabbed my shoulders, standing me firmly before him facing away and pulled on the rim down.   
“ Oh!” I facepalmed myself “No, that’s nothing, it’s healing already anyway, but he already ran his finger over the closing of skin with a blood cloth over it.   
“ It’s not doing so well.” He said   
“ Doesn’t even hurt anymore.”   
“ You’re full of surprises.” He said, heading back to the kitchen now and I went to sit at the table quickly, adjusting my shirt. “Where did you get it?” I looked at him and he glanced back, meeting my look while washing the plate quickly. “Elise?”  
“ My ex.”   
“ Your ex cut your back?” He raised his eyebrows   
“ He was an idiot.” I shrugged “Hence ex”   
“ How did it happen?”  
Was he curious? Or plain rude?   
“ Well it… Well It was um…”  
He didn’t let the silence stretch too long.   
“ He raped you, didn’t he.” He asked, leaning against the kitchen isle.   
“ No.” I protested quickly and he raised his eyebrows in obvious disbelief, not questioning me thought “He was just weird by the end.”  
Raymond looked away, probably growing disinterested in the conversation.   
“ Finish and come up then, better if I keep an eye on you.” He said   
“ Can I read the papers?” He only looked at me, nodding his head before running off and up the stairs.   
The newspapers held nothing interesting and I cleaned off the table after a moment, heading up as well. Raymond called me when hearing I’m coming and I followed his voice into the bathroom.   
Knocking on the door frames, I stopped.  
“ Come in.” He said looking up to me. He had the sink covered up for some reason and was just clicking off a phonecall, standing some stuff on the cover from a medicine cabinet. “Sit on the edge legs in, back facing me.”   
“ Listen, I’m fine and you don’t need to bother.” He looked at me blankly for a moment, as if that wasn’t enough of a protest “You’re probably killing me off on Monday anyway, right, can’t you busy yourself with something that won’t come in vain?”   
He turned to the sink as if not hearing me, sorting out the bottles and gave me one more look when putting one of them back away.  
“ I said sit.” He repeated.  
“ No.”   
“ Why.”   
“ I just said…”  
“ Apart from that.”   
“ It’s usele…”  
“ I said apart from that.”   
_Motherfucker._   
“ That shit’s big and I’m not stripping.”   
“ Won’t look, promise.” Raymond blinked, amused through “you know what?” he added quickly “You go on, I’ll fetch some cloths.” And he walked past me.  
_Bugger._   
I could feel the agitation mix with anxiety as I took the baggy shirt off, and oh boy was that a bad cocktail.   
“ Right.” I heard him say before he came back “Well would you look at that. What a good girl I have the pleasure of seeing in my office.”   
I was so tempted to shoot him an ugly look I had to stop myself, rubbing my forehead instead.   
“ All right. So, miss Hall, here’s a mirror.” He handed me a small simple plate with rough edges, broken in one corner and a smudged back. It was either old and taken care of well or ripped from a frame. Perhaps both.   
“ Why.” I frowned   
“ So you can see there’s no fuckery going on back here - plus I’m not having a conversation with the back of your head.”   
“ How about not having a conversation?” I asked in a small voice.   
He was quiet and I raised the mirror to see his piercing look, falling in for the game.   
Stretching toward the small milky window above the tub, which made him scuff a little annoyed, I place the mirror against one of the bottles there, adjusting it a little.   
“ Wonderful, so we shall proceed then.” He said, looking down on my back. “You’re not going to scream if I touch you, are you.” He said and I laughed. He meant it because I caught his questioning look in the mirror.   
“ No I won’t.” I quickly answered, feeling his warm fingers against my skin then.   
“ All right, so I’m going to push around a little, don’t play a hero and just say if it hurts okay?”   
I sighed, trying to get the thought that this all is weird as fuck out of my head.   
“ Wait.” I felt his hands disappear and saw his head duck down “is that a cigarette burn?” he touched somewhere down my left side and I dodged “And… Where did you get them?”   
“ Um…”   
“ With all due respect, your Ex was a nasty cunt, wasn’t he.”   
And he doesn’t even know about the ones on my legs. I forgot about them.  
“ Elise?” I looked up into the mirror again, seeing him reappear.  
“ Yeah, he was.” I said, feeling the anxiety level raise a little, trying to hold it in.   
I heard him click his tongue, returning to the cut. It went all the way from above one of my shoulder blade down to the other side. He started from the bottom, coming up and as he reached the spine he stopped.   
“ You arched?” he asked   
“ No?” I said, confused.   
“ When he cut you. You arched.”   
Yeah, I was tied to the ceiling but he really did not need to know that.  
“ Wouldn’t you?”   
He shrugged, nodding his head, going on, having me hiss in a few next pushes, bowing down.  
“ You’ve got that bit inflated.” He said after studying it closer and drawing another hiss from me “Couldn’t reach back here when cleaning the wound, right?”  
I wasn’t going to tell him I didn’t really clean any of it, was I.   
He went on, having me hiss a few more times and then finally stopped.   
“ So.” He said as I heard him distance and saw him disappear from the mirror. “Some places would do with sutures but that’s a luxury and pain I’m not subjecting you to as there’s an easy substitute.”  
I wanted to turn to see why he went silent, not doing anything, but restrained.   
“ You’re awfully quiet, Elise.” He said.  
“ You’re not really asking questions.” I quickly answered.   
“ All right.” He said, starting to work again “I’m going to take that as an invitation…”  
“ It wasn’t.”   
“ … and ask how come a mannered lady like yourself got herself in trouble with a crazy ex who cut and burned her back.”   
“ Mannered?” I raised my eyebrows but he only shot me a quick look, starting to rub something oily and wet across the wound   
“ Answer the question.”   
I sighed annoyed.   
“ He’s on crack.”   
“ A bad choice in a partner then.” Raymond said as he began whipping the oil away with a cloth.   
“ He wasn’t when we started.” I added, turning my eyes up.   
“ Still a bad choice.” He said, “You just couldn’t see it.”  
“ Oh I did.” I answered, wanting to turn around to face him but he quickly held my shoulders in place with his arm and I looked away. “I knew he’s trouble, I just didn’t know how much - nobody is perfect and I rarely fall in love.”   
Raymond hummed and I fell silent, realising I said too much for my own liking.   
Then he threw the cloth into the tub next to me and my breath hitched. It was bloodied, like - a lot. The dark blood cloth got off and there was a new blood-red stain as well.   
“ What are you doing?” I asked  
“ Cleaning the wound. It’s not deep.” He answered   
“ Why doesn’t it hurt?” I frowned but he didn’t meet my look.  
“ It will.” Another bloodied cloth flew into the tub and then he crotched and I heard him take another “I’ll let it breathe a bit before washing the oil. Gonna see the inflated bit now.”   
Right.   
I heard him sit on the floor with a heavy grunt and then there was a stingy pain right where it hurt the most already and I felt and heard a little scream escape my lips. He didn’t stop though, quickly going on, wiping the blood regularly.   
“ Are you bitting your lips?” He asked and I gave him a nod before making my answer audible. “Here.” He handed me one of the cloths and I took it “It’s not pretty.” He added, going on.   
The cloth was better and he wasn’t any easier on me - quite the opposite.   
“ I would ask why the fuck didn’t you go to the hospital but by the look of it it’s maybe three days, isn’t it.” He threw another bunch of small bloodied cloth cuts in the tub, showing me one “Look how much fuckin’ puss there was.”   
I took the cloth, looking at it - most of it soaked in, creating quite the map, but there was plenty of thick bits.   
Throwing it into the tub too, I hear him sigh heavily behind me and then he sat down again, saying it’s going to sting as he began disinfecting the cleaned part.   
How could I miss it? Then again it wasn’t like I looked at my back anyway. I was just glad that it stopped hurting so much so quickly, thinking it’s healing.   
Luckily he didn’t feel the need to make a conversation then and as he finished, he continued down and then up again, whipping the oil and disinfecting the rest of the cut, taking the cigarette burns along the way.   
“ You know it’s not my decision whether to kill you or not, right?” he finally spoke as he tapped around the wound with another piece of cloth.   
I didn’t answer.   
“ But I don’t think that’s why you’re anxious.”He added, his voice lower.   
“ I’m not…”  
“ Please don’t insult me.” He interrupted me quickly.  
I looked away and he crotched yet again, sticking something down next to the spine on a few places along the way and then over most of the cut. I saw him reach into the cabinet again, taking out a black kinetic tape and scissors, looking behind me to get a peek of what he was doing. He stuck one shorter bit in the middle of a bigger one, cutting out some pieces, twisting it a few times and quickly giving me a look when noticing me watching.   
“ Why are you anxious?” He asked as he pushed on my back so I’d arch a little, closing the wound and sticking the improvised suture over it. “Come on, share your thoughts.”   
“ Isn’t pending death enough of a reason?” I asked   
“ Fair enough I suppose, even if not all.” He nod his head but waited for a moment before going on “So, don’t lay on your back if possible and if you feel an itch through the day, tell me, don’t touch it.”   
“ Okay.”  
“ Now,” he handed me the shirt. I felt strangely sore and scuffed a little when getting in “ You’re… Hold on.”   
He picked his vibrating phone up, quickly leaving the bathroom and I turned to look. He didn’t go too far and I heard him hum in answers and utter a few words here and there while I cleaned the cloths from the tub. He was good in making sure whoever might hear him on the phone accidentally would catch absolutely nothing until… Until he wasn't.   
“ Yes I know, I’ve just cleaned the cut actually.” I froze.   
The cut.   
Whoever was calling knew about the cut.   
They… _fuck, the opened the fucking flash drive_.   
“ Elise?” He reappeared at the doors, noting silently my cleanup and meeting my questioning look quickly. He was still on the phone, I realised.   
“ Y… Yes?”   
Lie. Just lie.   
“ Who’s your Ex.”   
Lie.   
“ Elise, who is your ex?”   
“ Does it really…”  
“ Yes it does.”   
I couldn’t just answer. Like I… I couldn’t just answer like that. I wasn’t in a position to answer that safely and even less to lie safely.   
“ I’m going to call you back Michael, I’m sorry.” He said, hanging up and taking a step closer.   
“ I can’t tell.” I said, trying to find the tub behind me as I back away.   
“ Don’t…” He distanced a little when seeing my reaction “Did he live down Crawley?”   
I felt my heart rate pick up instantly.  
Did.   
Did he live.  
“ I can’t…” I shook my head  
“ Elise I need you to calm down.” He said slowly, raising his hands up, taking another step back “Did you poison him?”   
Fuck.   
Bugger shit.  
Oh fucking hell.   
On one hand, I wanted to be fair, on another, it would be still too unwise.   
“ I’m sorry I’m not in the position to answer...” I whispered.   
It’s not… It’s not like… like they haven’t murdered anyone too anyways, right.  
“ Sleeping pills.” He said then, watching me studiously.   
For a moment, there was silence - he waited, I hesitated.   
“ I know.” I whispered.   
“ How did you manage that?”   
Was that… was he impressed?   
I chuckled, confused. This was absolutely ridiculous.  
Also possibly a trap.   
“ Crushed them.” Shrugging I licked my lips “some of them were in the tea and when he, um… when he fell asleep I tubed him. Thin. So there… it was just a little crumbles, almost dust.”   
He nod his head.  
Looking somewhere behind me he raised his eyebrows in a surprise, obviously weighing out whether am I lying or not.   
“ Clever.” He tilted his head, licking his lips.   
“ Have you… um. Have you seen the… Not you have… any anyone saw the… you know.”  
“ The video?” He asked, stepping outside the bathroom and gesturing me to follow him.  
“ Yes?” I did, after he disappeared.   
“ Yeah, we had a glance.” He said, looking at me from the stairs and I follow him down. “Care to share what’s on it before I see it myself?”   
“ Not really.” I shook my head, hoping he was kidding about him watching it. The less the better.   
“ Either way,” we were heading back to the kitchen, I realised, “I do suppose that found by the police, you would be a lead suspect in an open investigation to murder instead of suicide.”  
“ All suicides are murders until prove otherwise.” I answered “So it’s still… it’s still a murder investigation.”   
“ Right you are.” He looked at me studious again  
“ I like to do my research.” I shrugged again, watching him open the little freezer under the fridge, pulling out some plastic container. “Do I want to know what’s that?”   
“ That, Elise,” he placed the container on the counter, leaning against it to face me “Are the finest brownies you will ever have in your life.”   
I slowly raised my eyes to him and I knew he waited for me to ask because his answer was quick.  
“ Is there a pot inside.”   
“ Absolutely.” He nod his head, taking the box “The best kind, that is. Not so potent. Though.”  
“ I thought high-quality pot is supposed to be potent?” I frowned.   
“ Not necessarily. You haven’t had any yet, have you.” He looked at me and shook my head.   
“ So you’re going to drug me to make me talk?” I raised my eyebrows, chuckling again.   
“ No. I am going to drug you, so you can ease that rat going on full speed up there in your little head, because I know that rat and I hate that rat.” I watched him turn on the own, pull out a small pie pan and open the box to place three pieces on top.   
“ Why.” He looked up, noticing my worried, maybe a little sad tone.  
“ Because no matter who you are, death in any form if hard to take.” Answering he shut the rest in the freezer.  
“ That’s not what I asked.” I bit down on my lips.   
He stopped, looking at me again and I felt like I just want to hide behind the kitchen counter.   
“ If I’m going to die, most likely, right, I know too much.” I added, feeling the pressure of the silence down on me too quickly “would you please stop with the kindness act?”   
“ I’m amused.” He answered, “since the moment you told Michael he’s asking three questions for two shoes.”   
“ Michael? So ….”   
“ Mostly, though, I’m curious.” He placed the pie pan on the rack, closing the own “And from what I’ve seen on your back I can not but assume the hell that’s on the video is something you deserve to feel a little kindness for.”   
“ Doesn’t mean that you’re the person to be…”  
“ I want to be, though.” He leaned back his hip against the counter, slipping his hands in his pockets “I don’t like a woman suffering, and you suffered, so would you allow me please to be kind to you?”   
I hummed.  
Feeling like I need to put something more than just a corner between the two of us I walked around the kitchen isle, looking at the fruit bowl.  
“ So how is the quality decided if not by potency?” I asked  
“ There’s a good weed and there’s a bad weed. You learn to know and recognise the difference.” He said.  
That didn’t tell me much but I didn’t ask further.  
“ Why don’t you go cosy up on a sofa, I’ll be there in a moment.” He said when the silence fell again.  
I did like the idea, following it and leaving, through sitting down alone would feel awkward so I ended up looking at the old books he had behind the glass.   
He brought me water, standing it on the coffee table and looking up to me.   
“ I won’t bite, I promise.” He said as he sat down with the plate on the sofa, inviting me next to him with a gesture. He handed me the glass when I sat down, letting me sip a bit before handing me the plate.   
I looked at the little cubes - they looked more like weird truffles more than brownies.   
“ Choose.” He said and when I looked up to him, I realised his smirking - and that wasn’t mean amused smirk.   
I took one and he did the other two, placing the plate on the table again, winking at me before eating both. Bitting down I rolled it over the tongue but… I mean I couldn’t tell there was a weed except maybe for a faint smell in my nose perhaps? Like monkey food or something. They were delicious though and I ate the other half quickly.   
Nothing much happened, I realised, looking around.   
“ You never really had any before?” He asked and I shook my head, looking back at him as he eased into the sofa, throwing his arm up to rest, open. “Are you afraid?”   
“ Maybe a little,” I admitted.  
Maybe it began kicking in because he smiled, I realised.  
“ You don’t have to.” He shifted a little, sighing deeply “I wouldn’t let anyone have first time a bad trip.”   
I frowned a little  
“ What’s a bad trip? What would have to… happen?” Did I want to know?  
“ Well, it’s all about the mood.” He said “a friend taught me that a long time ago - weed, if good, doesn’t make you happy, it makes you feel deeper, so the mood you’re in to begin with is important - and the mood you want to be put in just as well.” For whatever reason, he extended his other hand across as if asking me to give him his and I did. “I promise you with what good is left with me that I will be decent and kind.”   
“ You are.” I said, instantly feeling my cheeks burn. I must have been quite the view, because he smiled a little amused again, raising his eyebrows a little “You are decent.” I said.   
He distanced a little, taking his glasses off and placing them on the table   
“ I haven’t done this in a long time.” He admitted, rubbing his eyes and cheeks before returning his eyes to me  
“ Do you… Well did you kill anyone?” he tilted his head a little at my question.   
“ Yeah.” Sighing he eased back again “Some poor fucker intentionally a long time ago - it was him or me. But death does come naturally in my line of work.”   
I nod my head, looking outside at the trees moving in the wind.   
It was nice.  
He took my hand again, studying it and only when I looked at him he smiled so little anyone would miss it, pulling me toward him.   
“ Feet on the sofa.” He directed me “Just this time.”   
I chuckled. His rules…   
“ Come rest your head.”   
“ When will it work?” I asked as he quickly placed one of the flatter pillows over his leg.   
“ Oh it will take a short while.” He said “It hits slow, sometimes you may not realise but since you’re so little experienced I’d say you’ll know.”   
He placed another pillow under my shoulder when seeing my head is lying a little too high, telling me to ease a bit as I curled. As I watched the leafs outside I didn’t even realise he’s playing with my hair and as I glanced up to him he tilted his head a little.   
It was peaceful, and I wasn’t afraid anymore, even when he placed his hand on my belly, resting it over my side. He was calm, like a rock, but not cold. I felt a little shaky, like I’m too fragile for my own good, and it felt like his silent stoic presence eased that feeling down a little.   
“ You good?” He asked and I hummed in answer, smiling. “Elise? Look at me please.” I did, turning my head again to look up to him “Smile.”   
It was easy - I did feel like smiling anyway, chuckling a little even, and he repaid with his own lips curved.   
“ See? Now that’s good.” He said  
“ Yeah.” I agreed.   
His phone rang and he quickly reached in his pocket, taking it.  
“ Boss?”  
“ Ray, you didn’t call.”   
“ Sorry Boss. We’re having a little laydown.”   
“ What are you, twelve?”   
That drew a laugh from me   
“ Oh I see. Was that her?”   
“ Yeah, she’s all kitten, was about to start purring.”   
“ I was not.” I protested quickly and he shushed me   
“ I’m going to take that as the answer to why I called then.”  
“ Yes, sorry boss.”   
“ All right...” There was a chuckle “well you two enjoy the stuff.”  
“ Will do, Boss.”   
“ So am I dead?” I asked right after he clicked the phone off, throwing it on the sofa next to us.   
“ Don’t know.” He shrugged “hope not. Probably not.”   
I hummed in answer, settling in a little   
“ Can I touch your back?” He asked and I gave him a nod  
He just pulled a little on my shirt, resting his hand between my shoulder blade.   
“ I’m tired.” I whined.  
“ Doze off then.” He whispered “I won’t judge.”   
But I didn’t doze off completely. I didn’t fall asleep. My breathing just got heavy and I felt a little warmed up, pleasantly warmed up, like it was a summer afternoon and I was falling asleep after lunch, with this weirdly sweet taste of blackberries on my tongue.   
“ Why are you frowning?” Ray asked.  
“ Don’t know.” I sighed, turning to look at him, but he didn’t go on. “Why do you have a beard?” I asked  
“ I like my beard.” He tilted his head, chuckling   
“ I like you beard.” I said, which only made him smirk a little   
“ Don’t touch me beard.” He frowned a little, chuckling again, and I couldn’t tell if he’s joking or not.  
“ Okay.” I turned away again, sitting up, seeing his curious question.   
“ I’m not sure I feel so good.” I said.   
“ Easy.” He narrowed quickly, clasping my shoulders and turning my back to him  
“ What are you doing.” I wanted to protest but he didn’t let me, answering quickly - well. Not Audibly.   
He began, very softly, massaging the nape of my neck, his fingers working out toward the shoulders and this weird but absolutely pleasant feeling settled in my stomach so quickly I thought I swallowed a sun.   
“ Better?” he asked and I practically moaned, quickly covering my mouth. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

He was upstairs when the front door clicked. I turned to look when the man came in the kitchen and before I had any chance to call after Raymond, he grabbed me, swinging my head against the counter. I slipped through and he quickly reached to hold my mouth shut.   
I thought that’s it.   
My legs flew up as he dragged me away and I felt his other hand at my neck.  
“ Take a good breath you little bitch.” I’ve heard him say as he swung me on the counter, pressing my neck against the stone.   
Yeah.  
_That’s it._  
It didn’t matter who he was - I didn’t bother recognising him. I just thought that I’m dead.   
_Didn’t even have my morning tea._  
Fuck.  
Then I realised there’s kitchen sink right next to me and I grabbed the edge, pulling myself away from him - which to my surprise was easier then I thought. He was surprised too, when I knelt up on the counter, looking around quickly  
I grabbed the green stone bowl, lifting it to throw at him and luckily he was about to grab me, pulling my legs toward him, so I just swung it around, hitting his head in the process, feeling the burns on my knees and my shoulder cracking from the heavy load.   
He hit his head on the counter too and I quickly got down, stepping on one of the apples that were everywhere now, losing my balance and quickly managing to back away.   
“ You fuckin' scum!” he yelled and as I hit him with a stone jar from the counter, managing to smash his head on the wooden counter again I noticed Raymond appearing at the doors, confused and alarmed.   
“ Fuck!” He swore when he saw me holding the stone jar, breathing heavily above whoever the fuck that was. “Fuck.” He added, quickly pulling out his phone.   
I kicked the man carefully, still holding the jar in case he’d got up, but he made no sound.   
There wasn’t any blood, right.  
Means I didn’t kill him… right?   
“ Michael? Did you send Francis?” I looked up to Raymond.   
Still holding the stone jar.   
“ Well, Elise just knocked him out.” He said, coming closer and paying no attention when seeing me back away “No yeah he’s unconscious, no blo… I have no idea, I was upstairs!” he seemed upset.   
Didn’t… didn’t he know?   
“ All right well, I’ll call Bunny and Frazier around, I don’t think Francis will walk this off. God. He’s… what a fuckin’ cunt.”   
Even though he wasn’t looking at me, he gestured for me to come over.   
I did not.   
Even when he finally raised his eyes to me I couldn’t - because there was so much anger in them and I was too afraid.  
“ Bye.” He killed the call, putting the phone on the counter and raising his hands up “Elise, put the jar down.”  
“ No.” I refused, backing away a little.  
He thinned his lips, pointing slowly at… Francis, was it?  
“ I’m not going to hurt you.” He said “You’re safe.”   
“ I don’t… I…” He took a step over the body, reaching to hold the jar but I didn’t let go until he slowly pulled it away from me, standing it on the counter himself without looking anywhere but my eyes the whole time and as soon as I turned to run he quickly grabbed me, pulling me back to him.   
I screamed when he pushed my back against him, I kicked when he pulled me up too, holding his hand over my lips.   
He didn’t even seem to notice my struggle.   
Fuck I should have never allowed myself to even consider trusting him.   
“ Calm down.” He said, “Elise, calm down, listen.”   
I tried to reach after the stone jar with my free hand and the rest of the power I had in me, or maybe just the counter to balance myself, but he walked away, taking me with him.  
“ Calm down, please, I don’t want to hurt you.”  
I was completely powerless against him. It didn’t matter how much I kicked I was just powerless.   
“ Calm down.” He repeated as I looked around, realising he’s careful to not block my nose “That’s it.” He almost whispered, “I’m going to let you go now, understand?” I nod my head eagerly and his arms slowly let go of me, carefully so I could step away.   
He still did not let go completely, grabbing my wrist quickly.   
“ Do not freak out.” He said, looking at me “I’m not going to hurt you. We’re not going to hurt you.”   
“ Who’s that.” I said, pointing at Francis   
“ An Ex-colleague.” Raymond answered   
“ Did I…”  
“ No you didn’t.” He shook his head quickly.   
Oh god.   
“ You’re good. Don’t worry.” He said. “Did he hurt you?”  
“ No.” I shook my head quickly, feeling my breath calm down a little.   
“ What happened?” he let go of my hand.  
“ He… He grabbed my neck and… I think he smashed my head a little too, against the counter.”   
“ Can I come take a look?” Raymond asked and I thought just how careful he is suddenly. Waiting for my consent.   
He lifted my chin to look at my neck and I felt strangely exposed. Pulling out the phone from his pocket, he was calling someone as he touched the sides of my throat.   
“ Bunny, take Frazier and come over, Francis needs to visit Michale and he’s a bit indisposed.” He said. I’ve heard some muffed answer. “Be here in ten.” Raymond killed the call.   
“ I’m okay.” I said.   
“ You will be.” He said, sighing and looking back. “What a cunt.” Raymond added, “all right, come on.” He went around the kitchen isle directing for me to follow him to the dining extension.  
He sat me at the table and I picked one of the apples that run there as he went back to the kitchen, pouring some whiskey into a glass quickly.   
“Did you lift the bowl?” he asked and I shot him a look, nodding my head.   
He came back, handing me the glass telling me to shoot it in.   
There wasn’t much, which I was glad about, and it spread warmth through my body quite quickly. He went back to the kitchen, stepping over Francis and putting the kettle on.  
“ Better?” he called after me from the kitchen.   
“ Yeah.” I agreed, massaging the side of my throat. It only now began aching, just like the knees. I sniffed, reaching to wipe my nose and noticed there was blood on my hand.   
I went back to the kitchen, stopping when seeing Francis on the floor, torn. Raymond looked at me, noticing my nose bleeding, realising why I stopped and thinned his lips, cursing. Gestured me to come around the isle, he stood me above the sink and drew my hair away.   
There was one of the apples from the bowl in there, now with my blood on it. It began dripping as he went to the freezer, pulling out two blue packets and wrapping them in clean kitchen towels from one of the drawers, placing one on the nape of my neck.   
“ Hold on.” He frowned when I shot him a questioning look “Wait.” He placed one against my forehead, obviously displeased by me not being very cooperative. What was he doing anyway? “Hold it.” He said and I quickly reached up.   
He got a paper hankie to wipe the blood away before directing me to slowly flip my head back, guiding me to make a few steps backwards, leaning against the cooker  
“ You’re not going to faint, are you?” He asked, obviously annoyed and I shook my head a little.   
Raymond took my hand, placing it on the ice pack behind my neck when the doorbell rang and he disappeared.  
“ Gentleman, this is Elise.” He came in “and there’s Francis right under her feet.” Raymond said, coming to stand next to me while the to man that came looked at the body on the floor.   
“ Guess that’s a leading point for Elise here.” One of them said in a cheery voice “We’ll take care of him gov, don’t worry.”   
“ Right to Michael, if you will, Bunny. Thanks.”   
“ Sure.”   
Bunny? Like? Easter, tail and ears kinda Bunny? I really must have had hit my head.  
“ How’s the nose?” Raymond turned to me then, speaking quietly   
“ I don’t know.” I answered “I’m fine.”   
“ Okay. I’ll sit you up.” I frowned, glancing at him but he was clearing something off the short shelf above the cooker now “I’d rather not have blood on my carpet.”  
Right.   
I climbed up, with his awkward help, leaning behind - the shelf digging into my back a little.   
The two now finally lifted Francis, starting to move out.   
“ Nice to meet you Elise.” I raised my free hand as they passed.  
“ Bye.” I said, faintly, stopping myself from saying his name. Or a nickname. Or whatever.   
Raymond saw them out and I watched the doors as the front door clicked, feeling the anxiety grow again. What’s going to happen now? Did he… Did he act on his own? But why? They seemed to be used to carrying bodies like that. Is that… Does that come naturally in their “line of work”?   
Bunny.   
Raymond stopped at the doors, his hands in the pocket, looking at me.  
“ I want a nickname.” I joked when the silence stretched. It didn’t draw a single smirk from him and I felt the anxiety in me grow.   
“ You burned your knees.” He pointed at them, coming to lean near the sink in front of me, looking at the few droplets of blood inside, probably, not bothering to clean them off.   
“ He pulled on my legs when I was kneeling on the counter,” I answered quickly  
“ What happened here.” He asked, tilting his head.   
This is what I came to recognise as his analysing mode.   
I tried to think, finding it hard.   
“ Umh he... He came through the front doors.” Raymond hummed in answer, frowning.   
“ Wait, hold on.” He pulled his phone out of the pocket, dialling someone “Michael, can you spare a moment? Yeah, I’ll put you on a speaker.” He said, quickly tapping on the phone and holding the phone somewhere mid between us “You were saying, Elise?”   
“ I… Yeah, he came through the front doors, think he headed right to me and … And I hesitated, he grabbed me I think… I don’t know, couldn’t scream.” I stopped, frowning “No, he tried to smash my head against the counter but I slipped away so he caught me, covered my mouth.” I pointed at the counter behind Raymond “and he said something, I don’t know, holding me at the throat I thought… yeah.” I took a sharp breath in, feeling the roughness at my throat, coughing a little “And I reached to pull myself away by the sink edge, knelt up, there was the bowl, right.” I frowned, closing my eyes, wiping under my nose, finding no blood there “And he pulled my legs but I was already turning to swing the bowl… I’m sorry about the apples.” I frowned.   
“ The Green stone bowl from your counter?” Michael asked, sounding confused.  
“ Yes boss.” Raymond answered.   
“ Right.”   
“ And I hit him with it, he hit his head against the counter and I thought I’ll get one of the pans.” I pointed behind me, feeling the ice pack slide off my forehead, quickly catching it. “But he got up and I lost balance, having to go back I mean… there was the stone jar.”   
“ You hit him with Ray’s stone jar?” Michael… Was that a chuckle? And I quickly met Raymond’s look   
“ Yeah I did.” I answered   
“ There’s pot inside.” Raymond whispered “You… Guess you stoned him.”   
I closed my eyes, smirking.   
“ That’s it?” Michael asked.  
“ Yeah.” I answered.   
“ Well I do suppose I need to buy you new shoes then, what’s your size?”   
“ What?” I frowned “Oh!” gosh I’m silly.   
“ What’s your size.”  
“ I’m fine I’ve got similar home.” I lied instantly.  
“ Raymond please take care of her shoes, okay, I’m not in a mood to argue.”   
“ I didn’t mean any disre…”  
“ Sure boss.” Raymond shot me a quick look and I looked away “Bye.”   
“ I’ll come around in the evening.”   
Raymond killed the call then, extending his hand to me, taking both of the ice-packs and asking if I can make it upstairs, sending me to wash up a little.   
I think it all began dawning on me then, because as I was washing the rest of the blood from under my nose, I felt a little shaky. I went to lay down on the bed, trying not to think about it.   
So I killed one man and defended myself from another in the past three days. And got stoned with one too.   
Weird.   
Stone jar. Stone jar with stoner inside. No, with stuff to get stoned with. By? With. Stoner’s stuff in a stone jar to get stoned by with a stoner.  
I knew I should have had to fight the sleepiness, but I just fell asleep. Yeah. 

Voices.   
“ No I’m sure you were.”   
“ It’s nothing boss, I swear.”   
“ You sure your guy wouldn’t want to take care of it?”  
“ I owe him actually.”   
A humm.   
Silence.   
“ Well, find a way then we can’t have him running around like that.”   
“ Will do.”   
I groaned, shifting when realising my arm is dead.   
“ Elise?”  
“ Yeah.” I answered, opening my eyes.   
We were in the living room, Michael sitting in the chair opposite where I laid, while Raymond sat in the chair next to me.   
“ You okay love?” Michael leaned forward and I closed my eyes shut, nodding my head  
“ Just a bit of headache.” I got up, trying to remember how I got here. I had a blanket thrown over my legs, which was a little weird.   
Raymond got up, leaving.   
“ No muscle ache?” He raised his eyebrows, amused and I shook my head, confused. “Well then.” He leaned back, looking at me silently for a moment “I think the two of us need to talk.”   
I looked at Raymond coming back with some pill dissolving in a glass of water he handed me, sitting back.   
“ Thanks.” I murmured.   
“ I would like to make sure you know what kind of a situation you are in.” He talked slowly, calmly, but there was a dangerous undertone in his voice.   
Very dangerous.   
“ I think it would be a waste of a life and frankly, maybe an effort too, if we killed you. But, and there is a but, you will not utter a single word about anything, do you understand?”  
I nod quickly.   
He measured me quietly, slowly, before nodding his head softly and looking at Raymond.  
“ What do you think?”   
“ Think she’ll follow through the boss.” He looked at me “Or I’ll visit myself.”   
He seemed to consider his words and the silence stretched.  
“ So I can keep my head?” I asked then.  
“ If your headache does fuck off then why not.” Raymond smirked and Michael chuckled. 

It was strange, getting back on Monday. I mean, there was my table, right, at work, just the way I left it on Friday.   
“ Hey, El.” Jimmy smiled, a cup of tea in his hand “you look well-rested.”   
“ Yeah.” I sighed “How’s the little man?” I smiled, listening to Jimmy’s gushing about his baby son. He was such a cute father, so proud and excited, so loving.   
“ Anyways, I’ll find the pic and send it over okay? Give me a second.” Leaving he waved at me when I turned around.   
The computer finally turned up and I automatically clicked my line of programs to have them logged and functioning as soon as possible, leaning back as they began loading, freezing the computer.   
Some things never change, I chuckled.   
It was a strange feeling, looking around. Everything was the same and yet…   
Then I noticed the box. A small one, probably from a set, it looked ordinary, on top of my incoming post.  
I reached after it, wondering where it came from - there was no string or anything, no note on the outside and it didn’t look like it came from the company either. I couldn’t remember anyone telling me they’ll leave something on my table too and I carefully opened it, having to chuckle when seeing the inside.   
A lipstick, lock pick needles and a flash drive. There were two newspaper cut-outs and a phone. Not my phone, through.   
“ Hey, Elise?” Milli was passing by and I looked up to her, trying to ignore the box as if it was just something completely normal and regular. “Could you do me a solid? I’ll be out on a trip tomorrow, could you spray my bonsai for me if it gets sunny?”   
“ You got it. Where you headin’?”  
“ Oh, just Oxford.” She waved her hand “Thanks love.”   
“ No worry.” She went on, turning suddenly   
“ Oh can I bring it over today? It looked kind of down from the weekend, got no sun at all and you’ve got the big window!”  
“ I always love me some nice little quiet visitor!” I joked and she laughed, mimicking a shooting from a gun in an ‘oh you got me’ gesture.   
One of the articles was about suicide down Crowley. Brief, with no details. It was a cutout from a bigger article published in the morning papers on legal drugs abuse. I stuffed it in my pocket, turning to ask Phillip, who sat far behind me if I could have his lighter for a moment. He didn’t question it at all, which I was glad about.   
The other was actually a printout on thin paper, from a newspaper about some drown man, a jumper apparently. There was an illustration and a text that they’re looking for help from the public with identification.   
I stuffed it in the pocket too, quickly grabbing rest of the stuff, taking the box, filling it with sticky notes, paper clips and so on, placing it under the monitor and heading for the elevator, going up the roof to the building’s community garden.  
There was nobody there - it was too early in the morning anyway and I quickly tore both papers, burning the scraps - which was quick and easy, throwing the ash into the smoke dish among the cigarette buds.   
Life’s weird, I thought. Really weird.   
The sky was blue with clouds and I quickly headed back down, finding there’s Millie’s Bonsai at the corner of my table near the window, with one of the sticky notes stuck on the leaf, reading “Please take good care of me, arigato” which I thought was silly and cute.   
The phone buzzed and I quickly looked at it. It was set on quiet and there was a contact named “Sunshine” calling me.   
“ Ray.” I asked when accepting the call  
“ Yes?” He answered.   
“ Michael sent Francis, didn’t he. He was a test.”   
He smirked.   
“ I’ve got two things for you, Elise.”   
I bit my lips together, trying not to sound too amused.  
Looking outside, I prayed it wasn’t bullets.  
“ An offer, and subsequently perhaps, the nickname.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Listen, there is a series potential, I actually have something in mind, so do let me know if you want more.


End file.
